MonTel Client runs slowly or updates slowly on Netware Networks

Note: This Topic was created on the 28th of June 2002. There may be more recent information available on the Novel web site.

There have been reports that the MonTel Client may some times have unexpected difficulties on Netware Networks. There are a number of issues that can affect the performance of the MonTel Client. Among these is the speed and memory of the local computer, the performance of the network and the number of users on it. In general terms the Notify update box should take less than 10 seconds to update.

The MonTel Client uses the Jet Database Engine, which is the same as the one that drives Access 97. The chances are that any issue that affects Access 97 or other Jet Engine Products will occur in MonTel in the same circumstances. Therefore the following links to topics on the Novel Netware site may be useful, however none of these issues has been confirmed or tested. The following problems are not known to occur on MS Networks.

The following link offers a number of suggestions: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10025255.htm. For another take on the Norton's Anti Virus issues see the topic: MonTel Client runs slowly on some Win9x systems with Norton's Anti-Virus.

It may also be worth map rooting the location of the Master Client Database: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10065312.htm

(Note that the Master Client Database require read and write access: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10066663.htm)

The more recent Netware Clients should be used. See: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/2946448.htm

But also note that the Netware Client 3.1 will cause access databases to run out of file locks. For more information see: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10025712.htm

There was a problem with the LAN Driver E100SNW.LAN driver which caused access databases to take a long time to load in at least Netware Client 3.2 and earlier. See: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10027746.htm

The latest Netware clients at the time that this topic was written they are: v4.83 for Windows NT/2000/XP and for Win95/98 version 3.32. For 4.83 you should have the latest NWFS.SYS. And for 3.32 you should have the Client32.nlm mention in the following links. (There may be a concern about database corruption.) See: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/10067462.htm and http://support.novell.com/servlet/tidfinder/2961972.

A way to minimise database corruption on Netware servers is mention at the bottom of the topic: The Master Client Database is much larger than expected on a Netware Server.

An updated NWFS.SYS has been released for v4.83 to address slow performance/ record locking issues with Microsoft Access Database located on a Netware server. See: http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/search/searchtid.cgi?/2960937.htm

This file was only updated in November 2001, so even the most recent Netware client is affected. (It appears that this file is only for the WinNT/2000 client.) The latest version for client v4.83 can be accessed from here: http://support.novell.com/servlet/tidfinder/2962669.